Empowering Athletes in their ACL Recovery Journey

ACL RECOVERY THROUGH THE BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL MODEL

ABOUT MY PROJECT

My capstone, senior research project, examines ACL recovery in high school and college athletes through the biopsychosocial model. By following one athlete’s rehabilitation over a 3–4 month period, the project highlights how physical healing, mental well-being, and social support all influence the recovery process. A central goal of this work is to bring awareness to the importance of the patient’s perspective in clinical practice. This project advocates for clinicians to consider not only physical return-to-sport milestones, but also the psychological and social factors that shape an athlete’s overall recovery experience. Through this research, I hope to encourage a more holistic and patient-centered approach to ACL rehabilitation.

Biological Factors

The biological aspect of the biopsychosocial model focuses on the physical and physiological factors involved in ACL recovery. This includes the injury itself, surgical repair, tissue healing, strength development, range of motion, and the body’s overall response to rehabilitation.

Psychological Factors

The psychological aspect examines an athlete’s mental and emotional experience during ACL recovery, including motivation, confidence, fear of re-injury, and overall mental resilience, which all influence rehabilitation progress.

Social Factors

The social aspect looks at how support from family, friends, coaches, and healthcare professionals impacts an athlete’s recovery, helping them stay motivated, connected, and accountable throughout rehabilitation.

MY VISION

Beyond the Physical: Understanding the Whole Athlete

The goal of my project is to bring greater awareness to the patient’s perspective during ACL recovery. The biopsychosocial model depends on understanding not just physical progress, but also the mental and social challenges athletes face. I believe doctors and clinical practices should look beyond return-to-sport timelines and include a full clinical review that considers psychological factors, emotional experiences, and overall well-being. By highlighting the patient’s voice, this project aims to encourage a more holistic, supportive, and truly effective approach to ACL rehabilitation.

Since September, I’ve been working with a 16-year-old, three-sport athlete recovering from an ACL injury. Throughout her rehabilitation, I’ve provided her with self-evaluation forms to track her physical progress, emotional well-being, and overall recovery experience. This ongoing data helps capture her perspective and highlights how the biopsychosocial model applies in real time.

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TRACKING RECOVERY

Forms & Questionnaires

As part of my project, I’ve been giving my athlete a series of forms and questionnaires to track her physical progress, emotional well-being, and overall recovery experience. These tools allow her to regularly evaluate her pain levels, confidence, motivation, stress, and readiness to return to activity. By checking in consistently, I’m able to see how her recovery changes over time from her perspective—not just what a physical test would show.

What the Results Show So Far

She has made progress in pain reduction, emotional calm, and completing daily activities, but still struggles with quick movements and reports lower confidence, highlighting the importance of both physical and psychological recovery.

Understanding Her Injury & Recovery Journey

Recovering from an ACL tear is not just a physical process. Throughout these months, her feedback has shown how her mental and social environment—support from teammates, encouragement from coaches, and confidence in her rehab plan—plays a major role in how she feels each week. Her journey highlights exactly why the biopsychosocial model matters: it captures the full picture of recovery, not just the physical milestones.